[quote name='JPope' post='79456' date='May 3 2010, 12:15 AM']I really like this for the most part. The chorus is a bit pedestrian, but the arrangement is very nice.[/quote]
The karaoke version really shows the cleverness of the arrangement. The use of sound effects doesn't feel gimmicky at all and pretty much were made to flow with the song.
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Now I'm going to write a long report about their live events that I went to yesterday, so stop reading if you don't care. Short version: they are extremely fun and seeing no-name idols is pretty great when they are allowed to have a measure of freedom.
There were two live events that day. In the first one, another Stardust group
Shiritsu Ebisu Chuugaku performed a few songs to open. As you may guess from their name, EbiChu is a bunch of a young middle school girls. They can't really sing, but at least one of their songs is good. I probably should have figured out a way to buy their only (very indies) single at the goods table because I think the song I liked was that one. As for now all there is is this year-old
youtube video of some other song. During their MC, it was Q&A time from the crowd. They were asked their favorite entertainer, and they all started naming Momoiro Clover girls, so whoever they named started poking their heads out of the backstage curtain to wave and say thank you every time. It was cute.
Then Momoiro Clover came on and performed a really long set considering the admittance was 2000 yen which included the CD and a photo. They even included covers of AKB's "Oogoe Diamond", a duet of "Iiwake Maybe" and Suzumiya Haruhi's "Saikyou Pare Parade". At the end of the show they threw out signed bouncy balls into the crowd. The friend I made in line at the show, pointed toward me since he knew it was my first time seeing them, so Shiori actually walked up and handed it to me. It has Reni's signature, even though it's already starting to fade. Unfortunately Akari and Momoka were
pregnant sick. Reni also kept coughing during the after show events.
After the live part was done, there was a handshake/talk event. These weren't nanosecond events either; it felt like an eternity to someone who can barely speak Japanese. I went to see Reni first, and started off by telling her my Japanese sucks, but I liked them anyway. She responded with "I can't... speak English well." So I told her she was good at English and she responded with "Oh? Good!" Later we ran into a communication problem, so I told her "sumimasen, wakarimasen..." and she responded with "Don't worry! dai.jou.bu."
I went to see Shiori next, and she is adorable. First I thanked her for the ball, but told her I can't really speak Japanese. She told me "I speak a little English." (I like how they all assumed I spoke English. Maybe I was Italian?) She told me her favorite subject was English, so I told her I teach English. She said "Oh! Please teach me English... uhhh... wakaranai! Eigo oshiete kudasai!" How adorable. She said the English perfectly, but still thought she messed up. So, I told her she was good at it, and she asked "Really... um... really?" I told her yes, of course.
I saw Kanako next, and although she didn't speak any English to me, she seemed excited when I came up to know that there was a foreigner at their show. I communicated with her as best as I could with my Japanese. As I passed by EbiChu on the way back to my seat, I heard a "sugoi" from them. Yes, a non-Japanese dude likes idols! When we were leaving, all the girls said arigatou to each person leaving, but Reni had the presence of mind to say "thank you" to me.
Between the shows I went to go find food in the mall area where the theatre was. After eating, I was coming out of the bathroom, and turned the corner where all of a sudden I hear a bunch of schoolgirl "OHHH!" from down the hall. (It was exactly the same way my students act when they see me outside of school.) Apparently Momoiro Clover and their staff were heading out to do stuff in Akihabara between shows, but I didn't recognize them at first because they had changed clothes. In any case, they were all "COME AGAIN!!!" after they saw me. So I gave them a thumbs up.
For the second show I had randomly picked the number 2, which meant I got to sit in the front row (I picked 6 the first time but was late). This time they performed in pajamas, instead of their kimono/school skirts. Shiori also came out in a blonde wig. For fun? Because there was no EbiChu this time, Momoiro Clover had a longer show with an encore. I was disappointed that they never performed "Momoiro Punch" but instead went with performing their new single yet again in the same show. It's fun live though. Instead of a ninja battle, the musical interlude included Kanako doing two front handsprings and a back one. Because I was in the front, I got the full effect of idol dance moves designed to flirt with the audience. Reni's points and smiles kept coming toward me, but she does that to all the boys. I don't know if it was because of me, but Shiori decided to use English in every single MC. (No, it wasn't for me, of course, when she weares the blond wig, it's her Catherine character or something. I don't know, this was my first time seeing it.) First after everyone did their "konbanwaaaa" for the audience to repeat, she said "Good morning!.... Good evening! Ah? Good afternoon!! eigo wakaranai... Good afternoon!" Nobody responded but me, so she held the mic out to me to say it louder. The crowd went yaay.
Okay this is getting ridiculous, so I'll stop here even though there's more. But basically Shiori is adorable. And Reni is awesome. The whole group is fun.
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MOMOKURO NUMBAA ONE!
' /> They're so cute! After reading that story I like them even more!
' /> I hope Akai gets to rap in a bit in English. Her English ability is amazing (based what I saw on TV). 
